But on coming near the supposed corpse he paused to look round at the others, then pulling out his black silk handkerchief he wiped his black wrinkled forehead and bald head.

"Whew!" he exclaimed, "it's very hot to-day." "I don't find it so," said the man with the knife.

"It is sometimes a matter of nerves." It was not a very nice remark, but it had the effect of bracing the other up, and moving forward a little more he began anxiously scrutinizing Martin's face.

The others now began to press forward, but were warned by the man with a knife not to come too near.

Then the bold person who had undertaken to feel Martin's heart doubled back the silk sleeve of his coat, and after some further preparation extended his arm and made two or three preliminary passes with his trembling hand at a distance of a foot or so from the breast of the corpse.